Tech

It's All Fun and Games With Speedy Sphero 2B Robot

LAS VEGAS — The problem with a lot of today's robots is that they're a little boring. Don't get me wrong. Cleaning windows, mopping floors and helping people conduct telepresence meetings is cool and important, but these tasks aren't intrinsically entertaining. I always thought our robot future would be fun. Thankfully, there are companies like Orbotix. Its smartphone- or tablet-controlled Sphero robot ball is all about fun and games (and, yes, learning).

Here at CES 2014 in Las Vegas, the company unveiled a new member of the Sphero family, the Sphero 2B. It's a tube-shaped robot, about the size of two Spheros side-by-side. Like the original, it has a polycarbonite body that houses a sophisticated collection of motors, LEDs, infrared so it can interact with other Sphero 2Bs, and low-power Bluetooth connectivity.

Orbotix takes advantage of the shape, equipping Sphero 2B with interchangeable wheels that move independently of each other. This lets the robot perform tricks and maneuvers virtually impossible with the ball-shaped Sphero.

I spent about 15 minutes using an Orbotix app on an iPad mini to drive Sphero 2B on a closed track. Traveling at up to 14 feet per second, Sphero 2B is twice as fast as the Sphero 2. The iPad interface is pretty easy to use; I did almost all the steering with my thumb on a virtual D-Pad. Sphero 2B went in whichever direction I pushed my thumb, the further I pushed, the faster it went. Quite intuitive.

I'm not sure Sphero 2B is more maneuverable than Sphero 2, but it clearly allows for more aggressive driving (I knocked more than a few Spheros halfway across the driving platform) and can perform some stunts that aren't possible with Sphero 2.

For example, Sphero 2B is capable of a wild spinning move, which I activated by hitting a special section of the app interface, and its speed often sent it flying through the air. As I got better at maneuvering the robot via the thumb-driven interface, I took repeated runs at curved vertical wall (similar to what you might see skateboarders riding up — if they were really tiny). Each time, I went higher and higher. It was quite a rush. Despite the power and speed, Orbotix representatives told me Sphero 2B will offer up to an hour of gameplay on a roughly two-hour charge.

Different wheels will help Sphero 2B perform different tricks: there are large rubber tires and then the much thinner plastic "rims" that allow for more skateboarder-like maneuvers. Not everything went smoothly. At one point I ran Sphero 2B into a metal edge and one of those thin wheels got stuck underneath it. Orbotix reps freed the robot from that jam, but then the little bot wasn't the same: one wheel was slightly off kilter and the robot couldn't pick up speed.

To be fair, I was driving a prototype. The final Sphero 2B doesn't arrive until the holidays when it should sell for just under $100 (accessories will be sold separately). Like all previous Spheros, 2B will be fully programmable via a free SDK. Overall, I found the Orbotix Sphero 2B impressive, addictive and, most importantly, fun.

You can learn more about Sphero 2B, Orbotix, and check out my driving in the video above.

CES 2014

Sony Wants to Compete with Oculus Rift

Sony may move into the territory market dominated by the Oculus Rift and other virtual-reality headsets with an upgrade to its head-mounted display. The company's HMZ-T3W headgear has been around since September of last year, although it was designed to be primarily a video device. With a prototype head tracker attached, the visor-like entertainment device becomes an immersive game environment.

Image: Mashable

3D Print Your Face on an Action Figure

Maybe you've always wanted to have curves like Kate Upton's, or muscles like Channing Tatum's. Or you just want to own an action figure of yourself, but with a better body. Look no further — your slightly narcissistic dreams are about to come true.

Image: Mashable

Vizio Wins 4K at CES

This is the one. Pete Pachal claimed Vizio won "4K at CES," with both the largest and cheapest 4K TVs at the show.

Image: Mashable, Pete Pachal

LeVar Burton's Reading Rainbow app

We caught up with LeVar Burton, of Reading Rainbow and Roots fame, at the 2014 International CES and talked about the newest version of Reading Rainbow. After PBS canceled the series in 2009, Burton relaunched it last June as a tablet app via RRKidz, an educational company he co-founded.

Image: Mashable

Reebok CHECKLIGHT

Put simply the Reebok Checklight is a wearable for your head that measures how hard it got hit. It uses multiple motion sensors to provide actionable impact data to help assess an athlete before continuing to play and is designed for all helmeted and non-helmeted contact sports and activities.

Image: Mashable, Pete Pachal

Ozobot

Ozobot, a game-playing robot, wants you to get physical with digital games — and it could be on to something. Ozobot is a tiny, one-inch-tall robot designed to work on top of tablet and smartphone screens, as well on as paper.

Image: Ozobot

Mute Your TV With a Simple 'Shhh'

PointGrab's gesture-driven interfaces are at least as old as the Microsoft Kinect and Leap Motion, but PointGrab's software solution works with standard 2D cameras. In one demonstration, it used a Logitech webcam.

Image: Mashable

E-Ink Wall Clock- Amusing and Pricey

Witness this 3-foot long digital clock with a huge E Ink screen. It's powered by a tiny watch battery that should last about a year and is a lot lighter than it should be considering how large it is. More than anything, it's a great example of the goofy gadgets that populate CES- and it will only set you back $499.

Image: Mashable, Lance Ulanoff

Crowds Galore

A general view of the CES Showroom in Las Vegas, NV on January 7th, 2014.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier Hansen

FINALLY, a Grill-Cleaning Robot

Think of the $120 Grillbot as a Roomba for your grill. It’s got three motors, replaceable wire brushes and the ability to change directions as it bumps into the sides of your grill.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-Hansen

Mio Heart Monitor

Mio Global unveiled Mio LINK, a sleek band worn on the wrist designed to monitor continuous heart rate data. Now runners and cyclists can get all the benefits of heart training without needing to use an uncomfortable chest strap. Available beginning in March for only $99.

Image: Mashable, Pete Pachal

SNL at Yahoo Keynote

"Saturday Night Live" cast members Cecily Strong and Kenan Thompson made a surprise guest appearance during the Yahoo keynote presentation at the 2014 International CES on Tuesday, with a hilarious "Weekend Update" segment tailored specifically to the tech crowd.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier Hansen

Intel Plans to "Make Everything Smart"

CEO Brian Krzanich shows off the new Einstein chip. The company hopes this SD-sized processor will push smart technology to new frontiers.

Image: Mashable

Whirlpool "Kitchen of 2020"

Whirlpool is showing off an interactive cooktop concept at 2014 International CES that not only turns a typical kitchen surface into a stovetop, but also a place to check the weather, find recipes on Pinterest, research cooking tips and post pictures to Facebook.

Image: Whirlpool

Sony 4K Camcorder

If you're looking to produce real 4K video on the cheap, look no further than Sony's FDR-AX100 Handycam — a consumer 4K camcorder that costs a mere $1,999.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-Hansen

Navia Self-Driving Shuttle

France-based robotics company Induct announced on Monday that its intelligent, electric and driverless vehicle is now available in the U.S.. The Navia shuttle will likely be used at public places such as airports, college campuses, theme parks or sports arenas to eliminate pollution and congestion, rather than at home.

Image: Induct

iRobot Scooba 450

The iRobot Scooba 450, the manufacturer claims, is three times as effective as its predecessor. However, the increase in power also comes with a price tag increased by $100.

Image: Mashable, Christina Ascani

Las Vegas

A view of the Vegas Strip from CES 2014.

Sony Xperia Z1 Compact

Packing the same technology as its Z1 big brother, the Xperia Z1 Compact has a 4.3-inch display. It's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, sports a 20-megapixel camera and includes Sony's Triluminous display technology for a better picture for video playback.

Image: Mashable, Pete Pachal

GUNNAR Optiks Color Update

Five new colors were introduced in the GUNNAR Optiks collection. The colors are Cobalt, Fire, Kryptonite, Ghost and Ink. As with the other Optiks glasses, the lenses offer a slight magnification and help filter out harsh light.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-Hansen

Sony Launches 'World's Lightest' Mirrorless Wi-Fi Camera

Sony claims the α5000 is the lightest Wi-Fi mirrorless camera you can buy, with a body that weighs just 8 ounces. It has a 20.1-megapixel APS-C sensor, as well as Sony's BIONZ image-processing tech, which the company says can reduce noise in low-light photos.

Image: Mashable, Pete Pachal

Samsung's Galaxy NotePro and TabPro Tablets

Samsung is supercharging its tablet line with its new Galaxy NoteProand TabPro tablets. The new tablets, which go up to sizes as big as 12.2-inches, are designed to, in Samsung's words, "redefine what a tablet can do."

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-Hansen

Samsung Curved Televisions

Samsung's U9000 UHD TVs feature a wider field of view and a balanced and uniform viewing distance across all areas of the screen. The company claims that a curved TV offers up to two times the enhanced contrast ratio of a flat TV in a normal viewing environment.

EyeLock Myris

The Eyelock Myris takes biometric security to the next level. Plug this device into your device's USB port, and it will scan your eye to grant access.

Image: Mashable, Kenny Suleimanagich

LG G Flex

LG G Flex, the first curved phone with a "flexible" display, is moving out of the lab and into U.S. markets in the first quarter of 2014.

Image: Mashable, Will Fenstermaker

Panasonic Facial-Recognition TV

Panasonic has dropped the production of plasma TVs, instead focus efforts on increased levels of interaction. The Life+ will come in both 4K and 1080p, but the real feature of note is facial recognition.

Image: Mashable, Nina Frazier-Hansen

Pebble Steel Debut

For CES 2014, Pebble is showing off its new Pebble 2.0 software, the Pebble app store and Pebble Steel, its premium smart watch. Like the original Pebble, the Pebble Steel is waterproof and has a battery life of 5 to 7 days. The e-paper display is the same, too — only now it's covered with Corning Gorilla Glass.

Image: Pebble

Sharp's New Aquos Quattron+ TVs

Sharp's Aquos Quattron technology is capable of creating a picture that comes close to 4K, but from a 1080p set. The new TV's start at a decent price point – the SQ Q+ TVs start a $2,299.99 and the UQ models start at $2,999.99.

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